General CollectionsThe State Library of Pennsylvania serves the information and research needs of all branches of State Government with a collection emphasis on materials for, by and about Pennsylvania. Search the collection through the State Library Catalog.

Law LibraryThe State Law Library has an extensive law collection consisting of the laws, regulations, and higher court decisions of the U.S. government and all fifty states which can be searched through the State Library Catalog . This area also provides access to the State and Federal Documents collections.

State Library Databases The State Library subscribes to a wide variety of online databases. Subjects include: biography, books, libraries and literature, business and computers, education, genealogy, general research, government, law and codes, health and medicine, history, culture and geography, maps and statistics, newspapers, religion and philosophy, and science. These databases are available in the State Library or by remote access to active State Government employees with a current State Library card.

POWER Library The POWER Library provides access to thousands of full text periodical articles, newspapers, a major encyclopedia, plus photographs, pictures, charts, maps, and reference materials for people of all ages.

Ben Franklin Collection During the celebration of the 300th birthday of Benjamin Franklin, the State Library gathered together a collection of books ‘By and About Ben’. Included is a comprehensive bibliography of materials and websites ,as well as access to the digitized materials.

The Access Pennsylvania catalog is a project of the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Office of Commonwealth Libraries. It was started in 1985 as a way to provide a union catalog across the State of Pennsylvania. It was the first and remains the largest statewide union catalog that includes the holdings of all types of libraries.

Rare Collections Library

The Rare Collections of the State Library of Pennsylvania are comprised of six groups: (1) The Assembly Collection, (2) The Pennsylvania Imprint Collection, (3) The Rare Collection, (4) The Pamphlet Collection, (5) The Rare Newspapers Collection, (6) The “Transitionally” Rare Collection, and (7) The Pennsylvania Graphica Collection.